Arch support for shoes



May 6, 1924. 1,493,180

Y c. ZERGA ARCH SUPPORT FOR SHOES Filled Oct. 2l, 1921 Patented May 6, 1924.

'UNITED 'STATES G'HARLE'S ZERGA, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoRor ONE-HALF 'ro WILLIAM A. ARMS'.l.RO].\[Gr,V OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ARCH surnom' ron snons.

Application aiedloctober 21, 1921. seal No. 509,327.

To all whom t may concern.' I

Be it known that I, CI-IARLEs ZERGA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of yPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have inventednew and useful Improvements in an Arch Support for Shoes, of which the following' is a specification. l

My invention relates to' new and useful improvements in an arch support for shoes, and has for its object to further improve my invention as illustrated in my application Serial Number 489,433, filed August 3rd, 1921.

Another object of the invention is to construct an arch support for footwear consisting of a pad of felt, canvas, leather, goring or other suitable material and a flexible nonmetallic supporting element such as celluloid, the said supporting element being cov ered with a suitable textile fabric, asbestos paper or the like if desired, the said arch support to be used in conjunction with a long counter whereby the latter will be resiliently held in close contact with the wearers foot.

A further object of this invention is to provide in conjunction with the parts above mentioned a similarly constructed support for the bottom of the foot which may be fastened to the shoe shank and also be disposed above the heel without interfering with the proper nailing of the heel in place. l

A further object of the invention is to provide an arch support of the character stated that may be sewn to the lip of the insole during the time the counter and upper are attached thereto and the portions of the upper, counter and arch support in the region of the latter remaining untrimmed but hammered down prior to the attachment of the outsole.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in det-ail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which Fig. l, is a perspective View of aninsole showing a counter, my improved arch sup-l ports and a portion'of an upper attached thereto, a part of the shank support being broken away -to clearly illustrate the arrangement of the parts.

Fig.l 2, is a perspective view of ashoe on areduced scale' with a portion of the lining broken away to illustrate the relation of lthe Icounter and arch support.l f

Fig. 3, is a transverse sectional view of the insole and the componenty parts as illustraty ed in Fig. l.

Fig. 4, is an enlarged detail sectional view of the supports illustrating the elements utilized in the manufacture thereof.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, 2 represents a shoe which includes the insole 3 `having a lip 4 to `which is sewn or otherwise attached the long counter 5 and the upper 6. My invention contemplates utilizing in combination with that portion of the counter in the region of the arch a flexible non-metallic arch support 7 which consists of a pad 8 of felt, canvas, leather, goring or other suitable material, a flexible nonmetallic supporting element 9 preferably a sheet of celluloid and a cover 10 of suitable textile fabric to-enclose the sheet of celluloid. All of these are affixed to each other by suitable means such as for instance cement or stitching and this arch support 1s sewn or otherwise attached to the lip i of the insole between the counter 5 and the upper 6 at the same time these parts are attached to the insole, it being understood that said arch support is positioned between the upper and the counter and if found desirable may be cemented or otherwise attached to said counter. After the parts are all sewn to the insole the loose ends or edges are trimmed in theordinary manner except that those portions in the region of the arch support are left untrimmed and these untrimmed edges are hammered downand add further stiness to the parts at this point.

To further support the arch of a wearers foot a support 11 constructed in the same manner as the `one designated by the numeral 7 is attached to the insole in the region of its shank and may extend any desired distance therefrom, as for instance, it may project over the heel portion as plainly shown in Fig. 1 and in a completed shoe this support will be situated between the insole and outsole and will not interfere with the attachment of the shoe heel since the parts of the support are such that nails can readily pass therethrough. This is of considerable advantage over the ordinary metallic arch supports since any attempt to drive a nail through the metal causes the nail to bend and therefore the heel Will be improperly attached.

The supporting element in either of the supporting devices being of celluloid the same is practically unbreakable although eX- ceedingly flexible and resilient so as to yield tothe pressure of `the Wearers foot While maintaining suiiicient pressure against the arch to hold it in place, thus relieving it of strains or fatigue.

Of course I do not Wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown 'as these may be varied Within the limits of' the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

upper.

2, The combination lWith a shoe including an insole, a lip on said insole, a counter and an upper, of a non-rnetallic arch support affixed to the lip ofthe insole and attached to` the counter betweensaid counter and the upper, saidlip in the region of the Supporter being left untrimined and said untrimmed portion being hammered down to add stiffness.

In testimony thereof, yI have hereunto af- Xed my signature.`

CHARLES ZERGA. 

